The Atlanta Hawks logo at mid court is lit in red prior to an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at State Farm Arena (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)ATLANTA - The Atlanta Hawks have designated Juneteenth as a permanent paid holiday for all employees.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger came to Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of the Civil War and slavery.
Although slavery was already abolished more than two years earlier by the Emancipation Proclamation, it continued in some areas.In a press release, the Hawks said that they decided this as organizations around the country work to identify ways to recognize and honor the experience of African-Americans while the country works to get through with.